Today’s Jewish Birthday: Chaim Weizmann

Courtesy of Wikipedia Chaim Weizmann (November 27, 1874 –  November 9, 1952) was a Russian-born Israeli statesman, biochemist, and Zionist leader who served as president of the Zionist Organization and later as the first president of Israel. He was elected on 16 February 1949, and served until he died in 1952. Weizmann was instrumental in obtaining the Balfour Declaration of 1917 and convincing the […]

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Chaim Weizmann Read More »

International, Israel, Jewish History, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia

Amos, Zelickman, Schumann Team in All-Mozart Concert at the LFJCC

Assistant Conductor of the Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra (TICO), Robert Zelickman, opened the matinee All-Mozart Concert at the Garfield Theater of the Lawrence Family JCC Sunday, Nov. 24, conducting, the Overture to “The Impresario,” one of Mozart’s comic operas in which a director is auditioning two singers for a role and each is trying to outdo the other. The wave after wave of sequences in the rapid-fire overture reflected that competition. Zelickman sustained the orchestral energy of the overture throughout the five-minute work. [Eileen Wingard]

Amos, Zelickman, Schumann Team in All-Mozart Concert at the LFJCC Read More »

Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

The Jewish Citizen: Israel and Hezbollah Agree to a Ceasefire

Israel’s Security Cabinet on Tuesday approved “in principle” a ceasefire with Lebanon, requiring Hezbollah forces to move north of the Litani River, about 18 miles from Israel’s border, while Israel would withdraw its forces to south of the border.  [Donald H. Harrison]

The Jewish Citizen: Israel and Hezbollah Agree to a Ceasefire Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Middle East, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

OpEd: Senator Jon Ossoff Has Just Put His Reelection in Jeopardy

Advocates for the Palestinians, especially in battleground state Michigan, predicted their faction would vote for neither Trump nor Harris to punish Democrats on grounds that President Biden did too little to restrain Israel’s military response to Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas slaughtered 1,200 Israelis. Another faction that was expected to undermine Harris were racial minorities who accused Democrats of taking their votes for granted. [Bruce S. Ticker]

OpEd: Senator Jon Ossoff Has Just Put His Reelection in Jeopardy Read More »

Antisemitism, Bruce Ticker, Israel, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Shlomo Artzi

Courtesy of Wikipedia Shlomo Artzi (November 26, 1949) is an Israeli folk rock musician, composer, music producer, radio host and singer-songwriter. He is one of the most popular and successful musicians in Israel. Shlomo Artzi was born on Moshav Alonei Abba. Artzi’s parents were Holocaust survivors and their memories deeply influenced him and his sister Nava Semel, a playwright. His

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Shlomo Artzi Read More »

International, Israel, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia

Hasidic Rebbes and what they taught us

Eight of Elie Wiesel’s fifty-seven books could be called “Theological Biographies.” They are books on biblical figures and stories about Hasidim. They are Souls on Fire (1972), Four Hasidic Masters and Their Struggle Against Melancholy (1978), Somewhere a Master (1982), and Wise Men and Their Tales (2003), which focus on Hasidim. Messengers of God (1976), Five Biblical Tales (1981), and Sages and Dreamers (1991) look at biblical people. Filled with Fire and Light is a 2021 posthumous book addressing biblical, Talmudic, and Hasidic figures.    [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

Hasidic Rebbes and what they taught us Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors

OpEd: Ghahremani’s Execution Underscores Iran’s Persecution of Jews

The story of Arvin Nathaniel Ghahremani is a haunting reminder of the challenges faced by Jews in Iran. In 2022, at the age of 18, Ghahremani found himself in a violent altercation that would ultimately cost him his life, not because of justice, but because of systemic prejudice.  [Miriam Gershenson]

OpEd: Ghahremani’s Execution Underscores Iran’s Persecution of Jews Read More »

Antisemitism, Israel, Middle East, Miriam Gershenson, Staff and Bylined Contributors

The Jewish Citizen: Bipartisan Effort to Increase Penalties for Conspiring with Foreign Powers to Kill or Harm Federal Officials

Democratic Congressmen Brad Schneider of Illinois and Jared Moskowitz of Florida are among the sponsors of a bipartisan bill increasing criminal penalties for engaging in murder-for-hire conspiracies and murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, or assault on federal officials, former federal officials, and their families.  [Donald H. Harrison]

The Jewish Citizen: Bipartisan Effort to Increase Penalties for Conspiring with Foreign Powers to Kill or Harm Federal Officials Read More »

Antisemitism, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Visiting the Gaza Envelope

Recently we followed in the footsteps of many Israelis and traveled south to the “Gaza envelope” (the area of Jewish communities adjacent to the border). We were on one of two buses sponsored by the ESRA organization going to the area where 1,269 Israelis (and some others) were killed, thousands were wounded, and 250+ were kidnapped. In addition to our bus there were many other busses and private cars visiting the area. [Steve Kramer]

Visiting the Gaza Envelope Read More »

Israel, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Steve Kramer, Travel and Food

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Mike Huckabee

Prior ‍to ‍Mike ‍Huckabee’s ‍2015 ‍trip ‍to ‍Israel, ‍he ‍criticized ‍President ‍Obama ‍for ‍spending ‍“more ‍time ‍berating ‍Israel ‍for ‍building ‍bedrooms ‍for ‍its ‍families ‍than ‍he ‍has ‍spent ‍bothering ‍Iran ‍for ‍building ‍nuclear ‍bombs.” ‍He ‍then ‍went ‍on ‍to ‍draw ‍a ‍contrast ‍between ‍his ‍and ‍Obama’s ‍relationship ‍with ‍Israel, ‍invoking ‍what ‍musician? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Mike Huckabee Read More »

Israel, Mark D. Zimmerman, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Are There Jewish Miracles? Yes, 8 Days of Chanukah Among Them

Do Jews believe in miracles? An article on myjewishlearning.com sparked my interest. Miracles appear throughout Jewish texts, from the splitting of the Red Sea to the bush that burned but was not consumed. [Cailin Acosta]

Are There Jewish Miracles? Yes, 8 Days of Chanukah Among Them Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cailin Acosta, Israel, Jewish Religion, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Jewish Biography: Leonid Solomonovych Pervomaysky, Ukrainian Author

Jewish themes were constantly present in Pervomaysky’s work. In the early “everyday” stories and novels they occupy a leading place. They were in the center of the story of The Promised Land, the stories The Umbrella of Pinchus-Moti (1926), In the Bookbinder’s Room (1928), From the Song of Songs (1935), and One Night of Ilyusha’s Childhood (1937). [Alex Gordon]

Jewish Biography: Leonid Solomonovych Pervomaysky, Ukrainian Author Read More »

Alex Gordon, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Ben Stein

Courtesy of Wikipedia Benjamin Stein (November 25, 1944) is an American writer, lawyer, actor, comedian, and commentator on political and economic issues. He began his career as a speechwriter for U.S. presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford before entering the entertainment field as an actor, comedian, and game show host. He is best known on screen as the

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Ben Stein Read More »

Jewish Celebrities, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia

‘That’s The Shul I Don’t Go To?’

Young Israel, Chabad East County, Beth Jacob—each a long-standing wellspring of Torah and inspiration. Together, they could become a beacon of unity, proving that our differences are not barriers but opportunities to strengthen each other. The Torah was given to us as one at Sinai. Let us live that way, too. Let’s do more than sing, “Acheinu Kol Beit Yisroel,” (“Our Brethren, the entire House of Israel”) let’s take visionary action and live this. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

‘That’s The Shul I Don’t Go To?’ Read More »

Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors